NORTH DAKOTA PROUD : OUR LEGAL COMMUNITY
NORTH DAKOTA PROUD : OUR LEGAL COMMUNITY
ZACK PELHAM ABA State Delegate
One of the perks of being a general practitioner in a state like North Dakota is traveling the roads to various hearings , depositions , and mediations . Sure , the need to travel has been reduced by technology . Travel in the winter months ? Perilous and treacherous . Yet , there is something to be said for “ showing the flag ” for our respective clients . And I enjoy the time away from my desk — the non-stop emails , calls , and interruptions .
The diverse landscape of our state divides us to a degree . Recently , I traveled from Bismarck to Williston via New Town , and then back to Bismarck through Killdeer . Anyone who claims North Dakota is just flat and boring obviously is ill-informed : our western geography is rugged and beautiful ( and our “ flat and boring ” prairie is beautiful and rugged in its own way ). Our western counties , from Bowman north to Divide , are distinct from our eastern counties , from Pembina south to Richland . All in-between , the people of North Dakota are distinct . In every community across our state , however , is a tie that binds us North Dakota attorneys . And it is not our unified judicial system or unified bar association ( though these do unify us all in providing continued discussion topics ). The tie that binds us North Dakota attorneys is pride for our local communities :
28 THE GAVEL where we practice , where we live , and where we make our mark . As lawyers , keeping the community we choose to live in strong and vibrant , a place to call home , must be a priority .
Attorneys play a significant role in the foundation of community in North Dakota . We are the board members , the volunteers , and the youth sports coaches , who lead in our respective communities . Attorneys have specific training and education to guide and problem-solve , something all communities desperately need . For when we take hold of what we have been given and work to make it better , that is what builds community . Our communities are only as strong as the leaders who guide and navigate the challenges presented . Attorneys are uniquely adept at addressing the challenges we are paid to address for our clients . It is not difficult to transition our abilities to find solutions to the challenges our various community organizations face .
Local bar associations are an integral fiber to community in North Dakota . They facilitate and connect attorneys to help citizens understand the foundational aspects of law in our state and country ( e . g ., Law Day , mock trial competition , and We the People ). They allow younger attorneys to interact with more experienced attorneys – networking and establishing rapport . Local bar associations can help bridge better understanding between the bench and bar through non-confrontational , respectful , and open interaction that does not often occur in a courtroom . Local bar associations provide community for the legal profession within the communities we practice in .
Attorneys are faced with numerous problems each day – professional and personal . Our time is valuable – we will not be able to do it all . That does not mean we completely abandon involvement . Embrace your next opportunity to attend or participate in a local bar association meeting or event .
The American Bar Association ( ABA ) offers a multitude of committees , initiatives , topics , and resources . I would encourage you to visit the ABA ’ s website , www . americanbar . org , to see what interests you . The opportunities that exist for involvement on a national level through the ABA allows our local communities to benefit . The resources the ABA has compiled allow you to receive the information needed to better your practice areas . The ABA is diverse enough to give you the ability to focus on an area that you are passionate about . And in doing so , you gain knowledge that benefits you and your community .
On a national level , the ABA seeks to foster member connections to the national legal community . If our local bar associations are the tie that binds local practitioners to their communities , the ABA is the tie that can bind practitioners to national legal issues . The focus is usually on what divides us . While controversies are debated , we can ’ t ignore the issues that can be solved . The ABA House of Delegates will debate issues of national importance for the legal community at the ABA Annual Meeting . There are more issues that bind us together than divide us . Find your passion in uniting threads to issues facing your community and beyond .